Casino's 24/7 Opening Rejection A 'Small Victory'

18 March 2026
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Pritti MistryEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire


The dad of a guy who took his own life after becoming addicted to gambling has actually called the refusal of a 24-hour wagering store in Spalding a "little success that will ripple across other communities".


Merkur Slots lost its preparation appeal to open 24 hr a day at its Hall Place place last week.


Dismissing the operator's appeal, the Planning Inspectorate said it found "damage in regard of the impact on the living conditions of neighbouring locals" and there was "limited advantages of the proposal".


Charles Ritchie, who established nationwide charity Gambling with Lives with his partner Liz after their child Jack's death in 2017, invited the choice and stated the "tide is turning versus" big casino firms.


In July 2022, Merkur Slots was to run from 07:00 to midnight Mondays to Saturdays and 10:00 to midnight on Sundays.


But the business wanted to remove those limitations and battled for the rights to stay open all hours.


Planners rejected the bid on March 12, saying a 24-hour operation would adversely affect neighbouring homeowners with regard to "noise and disturbance".


Ritchie stated it was "good news for Spalding" and he was happy viewpoints by residents had been acted upon.


"Up till just recently, there's been a kind of feeling of despair. You can't do anything.


"So I think this is a little triumph, however it is a message and it is something that does have ripples across other communities."


Merkur Slots has actually been approached for remark.


The Ritchie family, from Sheffield, have actually been campaigning for gambling market reform since the Hull University graduate killed himself while fighting a gambling addiction.


In 2022, the coroner ruled the 24-year-old instructor had actually been failed by "woefully insufficient" cautions and treatments.


His moms and dads have actually long argued that gambling-related suicide is directly connected to addictive wagering items and the industry's "predatory" marketing practices.


If you have been impacted by any of the concerns raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line.


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